This invention relates generally to the precipitation or flocculation of finely divided particles from a liquid, and more particularly, to new reagents useful in the flocculation of fine particles suspended in water.
The mining industry generates substantial quantities of process water containing high concentrations of suspended fine particulate matter. Depending upon the particular application, a company may desire to reclaim this water for further use or to dispose of this water by releasing it into the environment. In either case, the particulate matter may be separated before the process water may be released into the environment or is reclaimed for further use. Many methods of separation have been attempted, but they have not proven to be entirely satisfactory.
One method of separation requires the transfer of the process water to a settling pond where the fine particles therein are allowed to settle through the force of gravity. The rate of settling is very slow, however, making this method commercially unacceptable.
Other methods for separation have been attempted including conventional filtration, pressure filtration, hydrocycloning, centrifugation, and electrical methods such as electrophoretic and electroosmotic methods. These methods, however, have not proven to be satisfactory.
Other methods employ flocculating reagents to separate fine particles. Such reagents, however, are relatively expensive, may produce a relatively slow rate of separation, and may not be environmentally acceptable.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that there is a definite need for an effective and economical method to effect the rapid separation of fine particles suspended in process water from mining operations.